All About Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Q & A

2008-05-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

Forensic Psychology Q & A is a new knowledge sharing resource on the All About Forensic Psychology Website where anybody can ask or answer a question relating to the fascinating world of forensic psychology.

So don't be shy, if you have a forensic psychology related question, ask away and if you think you can answer any of the posted questions, please do so.

Go To The Forensic Psychology Q & A Page

Other Q & A Resources

You might also want to check out:

Forensic Science Q & A

Psychology Q & A

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A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Q & A

The Psychology of Lying

2008-04-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

Forensic Psychology

(Photo Credit: Martha Perez)

It's generally accepted that if you watch somebody's facial expressions carefully enough when they are talking, you can tell whether they are lying. The thinking behind this commonly held belief is that certain facial communications can not be controlled and as such help to reveal the talkers true emotions. However, this line of thinking has rarely been studied in detail.

In attempt to redress this situation Stephen Porter and Leanne ten Brinke from the Forensic Psychology Lab at Dalhousie University in canada have just had their research into the subject published in the academic journal Psychological Science.

The paper entitled "Reading Between the Lies: Identifying Concealed and Falsified Emotions in Universal Facial Expressions" has generated lots of interest in the popular media, however, if you would also like to read the authors research in full, you can do so by Clicking Here

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A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

The Psychology of Lying

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (March)

2008-03-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

Forensic Psychology

Insanity: Murder, Madness, and the Law by Charles Patrick Ewing

Book Description

In this book, Professor Ewing tackles the most complex of all legal/psychological issues: the insanity defense. It has been employed thousands of times, but there is still little understanding by lawyers and psychologists of its proper use.

By analyzing some of the most well-known insanity cases in legal history, this book sheds light on the particularities of this defense; when it is successful, and when it is a sham. The casebook is an established format in which to illuminate legal questions, and yet no such book exists yet for this topic. Professor Ewing will examine 20 of the most influential and controversial insanity cases, from the recent D.C. sniper trial to Jack Ruby's failed plea in his trial for the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald.
The cases are all carefully chosen to illuminate different ways in which the courts have handled this defense. Throughout, the author will add his own analysis of the cases and the reasons for the verdict. This book will be an excellent introduction to the subject for students of law or forensic psychology, and a concise overview of the issues at stake for professionals in the field.

See following link for more details:

Insanity: Murder, Madness, and the Law

UK Visitors Click Here

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (March)

New Psychology Website

2008-03-11T03:21:00.000-07:00

Dear All

I've just launched a new psychology website designed to help anybody looking for informed and detailed information on psychology. Definitions, history, topic areas, theory and practice, careers, debates and study skills are all covered in detail.

With free and comprehensive coverage, information and resources, you should find the All About Psychology Website useful and engaging whatever your connection with psychology - student, educator, professional or general interest.

All the best

David

www.all-about-psychology.com

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New Psychology Website

The Colin Stagg Case

2008-03-03T03:41:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

With respect to the application of psychology within a legal context, the Colin Stagg case is a very important one as it raises the issue of ethical practice and questions the efficacy of criminal profiling and expert evidence within forensic psychology.

Background To The Case

In September 1992 Colin Stagg was arrested on suspicion of murdering Rachel Nickell. Following his release without charge, the police in conjunction with the psychologist Paul Britton began a "covert operation" which involved an undercover female police officer befriending Colin Stagg. According to Gudjonsson & Haward (Gudjonsson assessed Stagg while on remand), the operation was designed to elicit a confession from Stagg. The covert operation continued for several months during which time Stagg consistently denied the murder but revealed fantasies that could possibly be seen as incriminating.

However, following a detailed psychological assessment of Colin Stagg, it was concluded that:

"There is no doubt that Miss James subjected Mr Stagg to psychological manipulation in order to elicit responses from him that fitted Mr Britton's profile of Miss Nickell's murderer. His 'fantasies' involving domination, humiliation and aggression were clearly a product of a subtle process of influence and should not be relied upon as representing Mr Stagg's genuine sexual preferences and fantasies."

As a result of the psychological reports, the judge ruled that the correspondence and tape recordings elicited from the covert operation were inadmissable and no evidence was entered against Colin Stagg.

Related Reading

To find out more about the case from the perspective of Colin Stagg himself, you should get hold of Pariah, described by Dr. Laurence Alison, an expert in psychological profiling at Liverpool University as “An important book and a bloody good read”. See following link for full details.

Pariah: Colin Stagg

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The Colin Stagg Case

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (February)

2008-02-13T04:31:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Ethical Practice in Forensic Psychology: A Systematic Model for Decision Making by Shane S. Bush, Mary A. Connell & Robert L. Denney

Book Description

While most psychologists working in forensic contexts aspire to practice in a manner consistent with the highest ideals of ethical practice, they face numerous and complex concerns and may be unclear about how to apply the Ethics Code and Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists to their real-world issues.

In Ethical Practice in Forensic Psychology, Shane S. Bush, Mary A. Connell, and Robert L. Denney explore common ethical dilemmas forensic psychologists may encounter in procedures including referrals, evaluations, documentation of findings and opinions, and testimony and termination. The authors present and apply a practical ethical-decision making model to timely case vignettes in the areas of civil, criminal, and child/family law to demonstrate how to approach the ethical challenges faced in forensic psychology; they also offer suggestions for addressing potential ethical misconduct by colleagues.

This balanced and comprehensive volume will be a valuable addition to the library of forensic psychology students and trainees, and career forensic psychologists.

See following link for more details:

Ethical Practice in Forensic Psychology: A Systematic Model for Decision Making

Visitors From The UK Click Here

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (February)

Competency To Stand Trial

2008-02-08T05:47:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

(Photo Credit: Mindgutter)

Given that forensic psychologists often conduct competency-to-stand-trial evaluations, I thought it would be useful to draw your attention to a number of insightful posts on the topic. All the posts listed below come courtesy of the always engaging blog "Postcards From The Id".

I strongly recommend that you bookmark this great blog which is described by the author as follows, "A father, husband, and forensic psychologist examines the "lighter" side of clinical and forensic psychology, with pop culture and other personal interests thrown in for good measure."

An Introduction To Competency

The Doctrine of Competency

The Legal Process for Competency to Stand Trial

Competency Myth 1 : Incompetence to Stand Trial = Mental Illness

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Competency To Stand Trial

Psyris: A Very Useful Psychology Resource

2008-01-31T05:14:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Psyris stands for "psychology resource information system" and is the brainchild of licensed psychologist Paul G. Mattiuzzi, ph.d. It is designed "To serve the public and to serve the professional psychology community, along with those in the allied behavioral health professions."

This is an excellent resource for anybody interested in psychology and there are a number of useful forensic psychology links e.g. Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, which can be accessed via the professional resources page under the heading APA Practice Guidelines.

You can check out the psychology resource information system by Clicking Here

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Psyris: A Very Useful Psychology Resource

Investigative Psychology: Professor David Canter

2008-01-23T22:38:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

David Canter is the director of the International Centre for Investigative Psychology and professor of psychology at the University of Liverpool. In 1994 he established the MSc in investigative psychology which was the first degree course in the world to incorporate the study of criminal profiling as part of a broad examination into the ways in which psychology can be employed within criminal investigations.

Professor Canter recently gave an interview to the BBC where he talks about Investigative Psychology in more detail. You can read the transcript of the interview by Clicking Here

David Canter's work on Investigative Psychology is also featured on the main forensic psychology website, which you can access by Clicking Here

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Investigative Psychology: Professor David Canter

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (January)

2008-01-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Beyond Common Sense: Psychological Science in the Courtroom Edited by Eugene Borgida & Susan T. Fiske.

Book Description

Beyond Common Sense addresses the many important and controversial issues that arise from the use of psychological and social science in the courtroom.

Features original chapters written by some of the leading experts in the field of psychology and law including Elizabeth Loftus, Saul Kassin, Faye Crosby, Alice Eagly, Gary Wells, Louise Fitzgerald, Craig Anderson, and Phoebe Ellsworth

Each chapter identifies areas of scientific agreement and disagreement, and discusses how psychological science advances an understanding of human behavior beyond what is accessible by common sense. The issues addressed include eyewitness identification, gender stereotypes, repressed memories, Affirmative Action, and the death penalty.

Commentaries written by 7 leading social science and law scholars discuss key legal and scientific themes that emerge from the science chapters and illustrate how psychological science is or can be used in the courts

For more details and/or to get hold of this recommended forensic psychology book, just click on the following link.

Beyond Common Sense: Psychological Science in the Courtroom

UK Visitors Click Here

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Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (January)

Forensic Psychology Blog: The Zodiac Killer

2008-01-09T03:16:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

If you head over to the official website for David Fincher's Zodiac film not only can you find out all about this infamous serial killer case, but you can also watch videos discussing the case in relation to Geographic Profiling, Behavioral Profiling & Linguistic Analysis.

You can visit the Zodiac website by Clicking Here

Related Material

Last year I did a forensic psychology blog post on Douglas Evander Oswell who has spent over 10 years researching the methods, motives, psychological attributes and connection between the Unabomber and the Zodiac.

This forensic psychology blog post included a link to an interview with Oswell in which he outlines the striking connections between the two cases as well as discussing the distinction between serial killers, recreational killers and mass murderers.

You can access this forensic psychology blog post by Clicking Here

Please share this Forensic Psychology Blog Post with others by adding it to your social bookmarks.

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Forensic Psychology Blog: The Zodiac

Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer

2008-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology Blog

(Photo Credit: Ghostbones)

Happy New Year everyone.

When you teach and study forensic psychology, your interest in the topic stays with you all the time. For instance my holiday TV watching not only included the usual Christmas offerings (It's a wonderful life, Home Alone, Die Hard etc) but also Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer.

To be fair I came across this very interesting documentary by chance when flicking through the TV channels; but it's precisely the type of thing I would record and show my students as a way of stimulating discussion and debate. Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer was very useful in this respect as it touched on a number of concepts and issues that can be considered within a forensic, psychological and investigative context e.g. can criminal profiling reveal the behavioural make-up of an unknown offender?

Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer - Programme Details

For decades the crimes of Jack the Ripper have inspired both horror and intrigue. Theories abound as to the identity of the killer, but few are based on facts. This film follows Laura Richards, a behavioural analyst at New Scotland Yard's Violent Crime Directorate, as she re-opens the case of Jack the Ripper, the first modern serial killer. With the benefits of modern criminology and psychological analysis, and the aid of Britain's best detectives, Richards uses 21st century forensic techniques to understand a 19th century killer, dispelling the many myths that have grown up around the case and revealing the truth about Jack The Ripper, the first modern serial killer.

In the autumn of 1888 Jack the Ripper launched an unparalleled reign of terror onto the streets of London, leaving at least five women severely mutilated. To this day the case remains one of history's greatest mysteries. Drawing together a team who are all experts in their field, Richards sets aside all the suspects and focuses her attention on what the crimes have to say about the killer. Using geographic profiling, they uncover the location where he is likely to have lived and with modern techniques, reveal an accurate E-Fit portrait of the killer.

Richards builds a picture of a man who was perfectly sane, frighteningly normal, and yet capable of extraordinary cruelty. For the first time, we are able to understand the kind of person Jack the Ripper was; we can name the street where he probably lived; and we can see what he looked like; and we can explain, finally, why this killer eluded justice.

Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer

Related Material

Going Beyond The Mo: Criminal Profiling, Jack The Ripper And Signature Behavior

This was the title of a forensic psychology blog post I did last year and I thought it would be worth re-publishing here.

The primary aim of criminal profiling is to reveal the behavioral make-up of an unknown offender. To understand how this can be achieved, this blog item draws upon Robert Keppel's analysis of the Jack the ripper murders in order to examine the concept of signature behavior and how this differs from the offender's Modus Operandi.

Modus Operandi

I'm sure you've all watched a film or TV series where a detective at a crime scene asks what's the MO?. MO stands for Modus Operandi and it literally means way of working, and it's what an offender does in order to carry out a crime. For example, a burglar who always uses a glass cutter to gain access to a house is demonstrating an aspect of his or her MO or way of working. From an investigative point of view analysis of the offenders MO can be used to link cases at crime scenes, however, a major stumbling block is that an offenders MO (way of working) can change.

Consequently, according to criminal profilers you have to analyse behavior that transcends the MO. Innate behavior that is static and rigid; behavior that remains the same over time. This behavior relates to the things offenders are psychologically compelled to do over and above what it takes to commit the crime, and in the world of criminal profiling, this type of behaviour is known as signature behavior.

Signature behavior

A very useful two part definition of offender signature is provided by Brent Turvey.

Signature Behaviors

Signature behaviors are those acts committed by an offender that are not necessary to complete the offense. Their convergence can be used to suggest an offender's psychological or emotional needs (signature aspect). They are best understood as a reflection of the underlying personality, lifestyle, and developmental experiences of an offender

Signature Aspects

The emotional or psychological themes or needs that an offender satisfies when they commit offense behaviors.

Robert Keppel has written widely on criminal profiling and signature behavior and analysis. In 2002 I was fortunate enough to hear him speak at a forensic science conference in Atlanta. Entitled: A signature analysis of the eight Whitechapel murders attributed to Jack the Ripper in 1888 Robert Keppel's presentation sought to explain the processes involved in linking murder cases through Modus Operandi and signature.

The reason I want to include it here is that I remember thinking at the time, and still do, that it provides an excellent way of showing how the MO and signature differ in terms of what they tell you about a particular crime. The following information is taken from Keppel's abstract in the conference proceedings.

Jack the Ripper's Modus Operandi

He attacked white female prostitutes in their 40's in a cluster of victims within a short distance of each other. The first four victims Mary Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were killed and found outdoors in the Whitechapel area; then he changed his MO by killing and leaving the fifth victim Mary Kelly, indoors. By choosing to murder Kelly indoors, the killer demonstrated that he was an experienced night time cat burglar and stalker, as he attacked all his victims in the early morning hours when dawn was approaching

Jack the Ripper's signature

Remember this relates to what he did over and above what was necessary to commit the crime, it transcends the MO

Each victim was posed in a sexually degrading position, intentionally left that way so the discovery of the bodies would startle the people who found them. They were not concealed or hidden away, but placed in locations where they would be easily discovered. The placing of the victims on their back, grotesquely laid out with their throats cut and viscera exposed or missing, reflect the cruel reality of the killer, his total mastery over their bodies. The pleasure for the killer was demonstrating each victims vulnerability.

Incidentally Keppel does not believe that all the murders attributed to Jack the ripper where in fact carried out by him. He claims that in the case of three of his alleged victims there were fundamental differences in the signature of the crimes.

However, there is no doubt that like his fellow writers on the topic Keppel firmly believes that signature behaviour represents a real and intrinsic part of the offender's personality.

"Hidden among the evidence, often gleaned from the marks and wounds on the victim's body these signatures are the only ways the killer truly expresses himself." (Keppel & Burns).

Further Information From The Forensic Psychology website

Geographic Profiling

Criminal Profiling: First Documented Use

Criminal Profiling: The FBI Legacy

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A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer

Touching Evil: Getting To Know A Serial Killer

2007-12-18T06:36:00.000-08:00

Touching Evil: Getting to know a serial killer is the title given to a three part series published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The story surrounds a class of senior forensic science majors at Dunquesne University who contacted and corresponded with the serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson for a class project. Keith Hunter Jesperson murdered at least eight women between 1990 and 1995.

Background To The Forensic Science Project

The idea for the project was put forward by course teacher Ronald Freeman as a way of providing students with an alternative perspective on forensic investigation. "In school, they talk to professors, scientists, and I'm an ex-cop. They get our perspective on the criminal justice system. I thought, 'Why not try to look at it from a different side?'"

Having suggested and ascertained that the forensic science class wanted to contact Jesperson, approval was also sought from the students parents, the director of the forensic science and law degree program and the dean of the school.

Making Contact

Click Here to read the first letter the forensic science students sent to serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson.

In addition to the original letter, a further dozen or so were exchanged between Jesperson and the forensics class and on the 5th of November the class held a live Q&A session with Jesperson via conference call.

Audio Excerpts

You can listen to several excerpts from the conference call by clicking on the following links.

How Jesperson Killed His Victims

The Happy Face Killer Nickname

Things Jesperson Regrets

What Compelled Jesperson To Kill

Why Jesperson Agreed To Particpate In The Class Project

What Went through Jesperson's Mind As He Killed

What Do You Think About This Project

My personal view is that generally speaking it evokes all the normal reactions associated with anything to do with serial killers i.e., compelling, fascinating, intriguing etc but I have to say that this project makes me feel very uncomfortable on a number of levels.

I have no doubt that the intentions of the project were honorable and genuinely designed to provide a unique learning experience for the students involved, but I am struggling to see how this experience would translate into improved forensic investigation skills and/or knowledge in the field.

Even if this could be qualified in some way I strongly believe that Jesperson got so much more out of this that the students ever could, not least beacuse it provided him with the perfect platform to do what he loves doing best, namely manipulating, dominating and controlling. The following quotes from class members were just two of many that made me wince.

"I had no idea that he was going to turn out to be actually such a pretty nice guy aside from the fact that he killed a bunch of people."

"I guess I expected someone who would be a little more harsh and callous, but he was really nice, like an uncle kind of nice, which is kind of strange,"

I also found aspects of the reporting crass in the extreme. The start of second part of the Touching Evil: Getting to know a serial killer series begins:

The student's blood-red T-shirt was a big hit. "Friends help you move," the front said. And on the back, "Real friends help you move a body." The dark humor was dead-on funny for the 30 Duquesne University forensic science and law majors.

Gallows humor is common place within the forensic community and serves as a useful coping mechansim, but it's nearly always kept in-house and I think to document something like this in such a public way shows a basic lack of respect for the victims and the their families, however, unintentional.

You can have your say by clicking on the comments link at the end of the post.

More Information

A number of video clips regarding this project have been produced which can be accessed by Clicking Here

You can read the first part of the Touching Evil: Getting to know a serial killer series by Clicking Here

You can read the second part of the Touching Evil: Getting to know a serial killer series by Clicking Here

Related Reading

"I": The Creation of a Serial Killer by Jack Olsen

Library Journal Book Review

During the 1990s, the Pacific Northwest was besieged by a serial killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, who taunted the police for incarcerating the wrong people for one of his eight victims; he signed his letter to the police with a happy face and hence became known as the Happy Face Killer.

Renowned true-crime author Olsen (Hastened to the Grave) uses diaries, court records, and interviews with the killer himself to present Jesperson's version of why he became a serial killer and how he killed his victims. As a truck driver, he was able to travel cross-country and kill young women who, he thought, were going to present a problem for him. With each of his victims, he played a "death game" in which he choked them, then revived them a few times before killing them.

The book's flaw is that it is one-sided. The reader is not told how law enforcement officers caught on to Jesperson or about the trial. Nor does it provide details as to what happened to the wrongly convicted. Nevertheless, Olsen's popularity in the genre will make this a popular choice for public libraries.

For more details and/or to get hold of this book, just click on the following link.

I: The Creation of a Serial Killer

UK Visitors Click Here

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A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Touching Evil: Getting To Know A Serial Killer

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (December)

2007-12-16T02:55:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Applying Psychology to Criminal Justice by David Carson et al

Book Description

Psychology and Law has made enormous strides during the last three decades. It now incorporates a much wider range of topics and has seen a marked international growth in specialist journals, books and conferences. The focus, until now, has been on research and academic membership rather than on practical applications and participation by practitioners, psychologists or lawyers, something this volume aims to change.

This book develops the case for successfully applying psychology to law, and criminal justice in particular, by providing a rich range of applicable examples for development, now and in the future. In Applying Psychology to Criminal Justice psychologists are encouraged to challenge the currently relatively limited ambition and imagination of psychology and law by examining, amongst other aspects:

The relevance of offenders’ methods of thinking and concepts to criminal responsibility.

The ways in which psychology might be used to inform analyses of corporate responsibility for systems failure.

How analyses of decision-making under pressure are most effectively undertaken.

How psychological research and insights might be applied to the investigation and analysis of system failure.

This text is an important addition to the bookshelves of forensic, legal, clinical, and occupational psychologists, students, and criminal justice personnel: police, probation, prisons. Also essential reading for investigators, lawyers, law reform agencies, and those government departments concerned with home, constitutional, law reform agendas.

For more details and/or to get hold of this recommended forensic psychology book, just click on the following link.

Applying Psychology to Criminal Justice

UK Visitors Click Here

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (December)

Psychopathology in The Workplace

2007-12-06T01:54:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

(Photo Credit: Juicystyle)

Came across another excellent psychology podcast on psychopathology in The workplace courtesy of Shrink Rap Radio. The broadcast features an interview with clinical and forensic psychologist Laurence Miller, Ph.D.

You can listen to the podcast interview in full by Clicking Here

Related Reading

Book Description

How does an already busy manager deal with people whose personalities are difficult or even seriously disturbed? The answer lies in using practical psychology to understand just what it is that makes them tick, whether it’s something as common as being introverted or extroverted...or something much more serious. From Difficult to Disturbed helps readers become better managers by providing insight into both big and small people-problems that can seriously disrupt the workplace if they’re not handled correctly. The book contains down-to-earth solutions for dealing with:

Personality Types: including avoidant, dependent, histrionic, narcissistic, or antisocial workers.

Common People Problems: such as unproductive, angry, uncooperative, or chronic problem employees.

Mental Disorders: such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic disorders, as well as alcohol and substance abuse.

Every workplace is filled with a wide range of personalities. This book gives managers the insight, understanding, and tools they need to get the best from those who present the toughest problems.

For more details and/or to get hold of this book, just click on the following link.

From Difficult to Disturbed: Understanding and Managing Dysfunctional Employees

UK Visitors Click Here

Additional Information: Psychopaths in The Workplace

There is a "Understanding The Psychopath" page on the main forensic psychology website which includes a link to an excellent BBC radio programme on Robert Hare's research into psychopathic behaviour in the workplace.

You can visit the page and access the link by Clicking Here

Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work

Editorial Review

Let's say you're about to hire somebody for a position in your company. Your corporation wants someone who's fearless, charismatic, and full of new ideas. Candidate X is charming, smart, and has all the right answers to your questions. Problem solved, right? Maybe not.

We'd like to think that if we met someone who was completely without conscience -- someone who was capable of doing anything at all if it served his or her purposes -- we would recognize it. In popular culture, the image of the psychopath is of someone like Hannibal Lecter or the BTK Killer. But in reality, many psychopaths just want money, or power, or fame, or simply a nice car. Where do these psychopaths go? Often, it's to the corporate world.

Researchers Paul Babiak and Robert Hare have long studied psychopaths. Hare, the author of Without Conscience, is a world-renowned expert on psychopathy, and Babiak is an industrial-organizational psychologist. Recently the two came together to study how psychopaths operate in corporations, and the results were surprising. They found that it's exactly the modern, open, more flexible corporate world, in which high risks can equal high profits, that attracts psychopaths. They may enter as rising stars and corporate saviors, but all too soon they're abusing the trust of colleagues, manipulating supervisors, and leaving the workplace in shambles.

Snakes in Suits is a compelling, frightening, and scientifically sound look at exactly how psychopaths work in the corporate environment: what kind of companies attract them, how they negotiate the hiring process, and how they function day by day. You'll learn how they apply their "instinctive" manipulation techniques -- assessing potential targets, controlling influential victims, and abandoning those no longer useful -- to business processes such as hiring, political command and control, and executive succession, all while hiding within the corporate culture. It's a must read for anyone in the business world, because whatever level you're at, you'll learn the subtle warning signs of psychopathic behavior and be able to protect yourself and your company -- before it's too late.

See following link for more details:

Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work

Visitors From The UK Click Here

How you doin? Let people know with our unique personality trait t-shirts and gifts. Whatever your mood, express it with style with our innovative design range. Or why not show your family and friends that you know what makes them tick; psychological profiling has never been so cool and a new forensic range has just been added.

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Psychopathology in The Workplace

Forensic Psychology On Facebook

2007-11-27T23:29:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Social networking websites are a great way for people interested in forensic psychology to meet up for a 'virtual' get together. The best thing about social networking sites such as Facebook is their interactivity, visitors can start or join in with an existing discussion, post messages, pictures and videos, recommend relevant links and resources etc.

One the best forensic psychology social networking groups I've come across is on Facebook. This active and very well well organised site has over 300 members. Among the current forensic psychology discussion topics are favourite forensic psychology books and why so few people major in forensic psychology.

To visit and join this very useful forensic psychology resource just log in to Facebook and Click Here

Be warned, however, as you'll see from the following video, once you facebook, there's no going back!

How you doin? Let people know with our unique personality trait t-shirts and gifts. Whatever your mood, express it with style with our innovative design range. Or why not show your family and friends that you know what makes them tick; psychological profiling has never been so cool and a new forensic range has just been added.

Any profit made from the Personality Trait Cafepress store will be put towards the hosting and development costs associated with the All About forensic psychology and All About forensic science websites.

Click Here to visit the Personality Trait CafePress Store.

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology On Facebook

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (November)

2007-11-20T04:57:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

Personality-Guided Forensic Psychology by Robert J. Craig

Book Description

In Personality-Guided Forensic Psychology, Robert J. Craig discusses the hot area of forensic psychology, the crossroads of law and psychology, and illustrates how personality-guided assessment is a useful tool in the multiple arenas in which forensic psychologists are active: child custody evaluation, fitness for duty evaluations, personal injury, domestic violence, and many others. The volume begins with an overview of forensic psychology and the personality theories most relevant to forensic psychology. Chapters cover assessments ranging from relatively normal evaluations (police applicants and officers, custody and personal injury) to those in which severe pathology may come into play (domestic violence and homicide).

The book offers a wealth of data on personality-test scores of chronic pain patients, patients who litigate, those who commit sexual or other physical abuse or murder, and others. Psychologists who serve as expert witnesses of friends of the court in legal proceedings, those choosing candidates for intervention programs, and students of forensic psychology will find this book indispensable. Volumes in the Personality-Guided Psychology series demonstrate the utility and relevance of assessing personality variables in an array of matters of interest to psychologists. Each book illustrates how a clinical syndrome or behavior can be understood in the context of the patient's unique pattern of overall trait dynamics.

For more details and/or to get hold of this recommended forensic psychology book, just click on the following link.

Personality-Guided Forensic Psychology (Personality Guided Psychology)

UK Visitors Click Here

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology Book of The Month (November)

Forensic Psychology: Profiling Serial Killers, Limitations of The FBI Approach (update)

2007-11-08T01:53:00.000-08:00

Forensic Psychology

(Photo Credit: tpbrown)

The best thing about writing a forensic psychology blog is that I get to learn new things all the time, particularly when visitors post comments. One such comment was recently left in repsonse to a post I did last year on the limitations of the FBI approach to profiling serial killers.

The original post was prompted by The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, who during their annual meeting held a panel discussion entitled 'Serial Killers: From Cradle to Grave' which addressed the perceived limitations of FBI profiles.

You can read the post in full by Clicking Here

The comment left in repsonse to this forensic psychology post notes that South Africa has the unfortunate distinction of being right up there with the USA and Russia when it comes to serial killers. The poster notes that the FBI model doesn't quite work and goes on to mention one the countries leading profilers.

"Micki Pistorius who has a doctorate in psychology, spent six years as a profiler with the South African Police Service. As head of their investigative psychology unit, she was involved in more than thirty serial killer cases and participated in the training of nearly two hundred detectives in the investigation of serial homicides. Catch Me A Killer and Strangers on the Street are two of her books about serial homicide in South Africa"

I must confess that I hadn't heard of Micki Pistorius but I intend to find out more, not least because it provides an ideal opportunity to understand and evaluate criminal profiling in a new context.

Books By Micki Pistorius

Amazon.com Widgets

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology: Profiling Serial Killers, Limitations of The FBI Approach (update)

Forensic Psychology: Halloween Special

2007-10-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Forensic Psychology

Just a quick note to let you know that With Halloween upon us I have done a couple of special blog posts.

The Psychology of Fear

This post appears on my exploring psychology blog and showcases a number of videos featuring the amazing psychological illusionist Derren Brown who exploits the power of suggestion to frightening and sometimes disturbing effect. Please note that some of the videos contain very strong language.

You can access the videos and read the blog post in full by Clicking Here

The Science of Fear

This post appears on my forensic science blog and among other things provides details of a brilliant exhibition on the science of fear by the California Science Center.

You can read the forensic science blog post in full by Clicking Here

The Top 11 Scariest Nostalgic Moments

Please note that the following video contains strong language.

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Psychology

www.all-about-forensic-science.com

A Free & Comprehensive Guide to The World of Forensic Science

Forensic Psychology: Halloween Special